Piper PA28R-201 accident near Houston, Texas, July 26, 1987
On July 26, 1987 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Piper PA28R-201, registered N6083H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Houston, Texas (Andrau Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 26, 1987 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Houston, Texas · Andrau Airport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28R-201 · all PA28R-201s on the register
- Registration
- N6083H · registry record · serial 28R-7837052
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, DURING TAKEOFF ROLL, AND AT THE POINT OF ROTATION THE NOSE GEAR FAILED, CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO DROP DOWN STRIKING THE RUNWAY WITH THE PROP. THE AIRCRAFT THEN BECAME AIRBORNE FOR APPROX. 15 SEC. THE PILOT LANDED THE AIRCRAFT ON AN ADJACENT RWY AND SLID INTO TWO OTHER PARKED AIRCRAFT CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. AN FAA INSPECTOR AND AN INDEPENDENT A&P MECHANIC INSPECTED THE NOSE GEAR ASSEMBLY AND FOUND ONLY OVERLOAD FAILURE AND COULD NOT CONFIRM THE PILOT'S REPORT THAT THE NOSE GEAR RETRACTED DURING TAKEOFF.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 455 hours in all; 108 in this make and model; 67 in the last 90 days; 420 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 903 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 19, 1986
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SPX Houston TX at 2:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 4,750 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.